smk4565

Minivans are not a growth segment, but they did sell 93,000 Town and Countrys last year at a base price of $30k. I think they could move 100,000+ Pacificas a year and if the base is $30k, most will probably sell for $35-40K. I don't think 100k units a year is anything to sneeze at for a mid $30s priced vehicle. As far as the EV range, it is 30 miles more than any other mini van, Explorer, Traverse, Enclave, or Acadia offers.

It looks pretty similar to the Infiniti Q60. Buick has said there are no plans to build it as of yet. I don't get why they drag their feet on stuff like this, Avenir, El Mirag, Ciel, etc. Take a chance and build a halo car. Not everything has to be a crossover on a platform shared with 4 other products.

It does have a 10-speed automatic for your gear shifting pleasure.

Not many CUVs seat 7 or 8 people. Not many plug-in CUVs that get 80 mpg either. 30 miles of electric range is pretty good too. If cargo and people hauling is your top priority this Pacifica makes a lot of winning points.

Well this search just ended with a 302 hp V8 all wheel drive wagon for under $10k. http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?zip=07088&endYear=2017&vehicleStyleCodes=SUVCROSS%2CWAGON&showcaseOwnerId=0&startYear=1981&makeCode1=MB&firstRecord=25&searchRadius=100&maxPrice=10000&showcaseListingId=0&mmt=%5BMB%5B%5D%5B%5D%5D&listingId=403081721&Log=0

I like it, I think it looks good, about as sleek and sporty as you can make a minivan look, and still looks pretty refined. I like the Pacifica name change, it is a CUV name applied to a minivan, "Town and Country" was a tired name, Pacifica sounds like a crossover name, so buyers will like that. I liked the original Pacificas they had good space in them and weren't a van, not a truck, the idea was good, maybe not the best quality or exception of it. A Hybrid van is a good idea, that will be a segment exclusive. Should give them a big edge over the competition.

I like the S-class look a lot, the C-class the past generations always stole S-class cues. I wish this E-class looked a little different. I like how the new E-class looks, I like it more than the current generation (especially post refresh), but some variety within the brand would have been nice. Even if they just split the headlights or made the tail lights E shaped or something. Not surprised that it is a 2.0T as the base engine, the rest of the segment already does that. XF, 5-series, CTS, GS, A6 are all 4 cylinder. I do wish they got another 15-20 hp out of that engine. I don't get how they get 370 hp from a 2 liter in a CLA45 and 241 here. I wonder if the inline six will be the second engine. If it was the current V6, why not say that now. Unless they want to launch the inline six in the fall and put it in the C-class, and GLC all at the same time. The Drive Pilot thing sounds awesome.

It's an ugly looking car. Lexus has no real high power engines, the 467 hp V8 is their most powerful engine, and is not so high on torque either. Agreed though, that at least you give them credit for building a bold design, low volume car. What is odd though is this car is 187 inches long, so it is closer in size to a C-class coupe, no where near as big as an S-class coupe, which was their supposed target.

If BMW only made enthusiast sports cars they'd be like Lotus. You have to build products that appeal to the masses and BMW still has M models and track packages and CSI lightweight models and things for enthusiasts. If we are counting Buick and Cadillac together you'd have to add Mini to BMW. A lot of those Minis cost more than a Verano or Encore. I wouldn't call Mini or Buick a luxury brand though. And yes Cadillac should use word names. At least for sedans, crossover buyers seem to like alphabet soup.

They should build it for sure. We need coupes and interesting cars on the market, everything is becoming a Camry, Accord or crossover and that is boring. The key for the production model is pricing. If it is too expensive they won't get any volume, and you can't really price it above an ATS. Plus I think you want a car like this to steal sales from Lexus ES, Avalon, Acura TSX, etc. And those are all sedans but I bet a lot of buyers of those cars never use the back seat anyway.

I agree most of these coupes look similar because there is one best way to design them. This concept does have the body shape similar to the DB9 and Jaguar XK which is what you want. I like the body shape of the car, the headlights and tail lights just don't look like a Buick. Where is the waterfall grill?

I love the idea of a grand touring coupe. I don't like the Hyundai Genesis Coupe ripoff taillights or the Infiniti front end. The grille looks like it came off a Ford, the front is similar to the Mustang. It is a decent looking car, but to me it doesn't look very American or Buick-like. If all the badges were off it, I would think it was Japanese. I do hope they put it in production though, it reminds me a bit of the Chrysler Firepower concept that they never made.

I did mention the X5 doesn't compete with the Escalade. What percentage won't hold up? the 70% of their sales are cars? I don't think that will hold up either, as crossovers become more popular and they bring out the X7, their crossovers sales will rise. I don't think their car sales will drop though, they might well 60% car and 40% crossover on a 400,000 unit total. The X7 will mostly steal sales from the Escalade, GLS, Range Rover, Navigator and the 39 people a month that buy a Lexus LX570 might just get an X7 instead.

Volvo V70, $6,500 http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?endYear=2010&zip=07088&maxPrice=10000&showcaseListingId=0&mmt=%5BVOLVO%5B740%5B%5D850%5B%5DV70%5B%5DXC%5B%5D%5D%5B%5D%5D&vehicleStyleCodes=WAGON&modelCode1=XC&makeCode2=VOLVO&modelCode2=V70&showcaseOwnerId=0&makeCode1=VOLVO&modelCode3=850&startYear=1996&firstRecord=0&makeCode3=VOLVO&searchRadius=100&listingId=414657833&Log=0

Taurus X probably had really low sales volume and could be hard to find. It was the Freestyle for a couple of years too. Transit Connects aren't that cheap, I have seen 100k mile ones for like $14k before which seems nuts. The diesel in the R-class will never stop running though. Gets like 27 mpg highway I think. I suppose the Rendezvous/Aztek have too small a load floor? Dodge Magnum wagon too low of a room in the cargo area, and those have poor reliability. Volvo V70 or V90? Whatever their larger wagon is called, or that XC70 Volvo Outback wagon?

They should make a Riviera coupe on Alpha with a split rear window. They'd probably only sell 10,000 a year, but it would be cool.

Mercedes R-class diesel.

The Taurus X has 85 cubic feet of cargo space. Looks like it has a 6 feet of load floor.

I think there is room in the market for a "personal luxury coupe" as the old saying goes. There are mature buyers out there that don't want a Camaro or Mustang, or don't want the noisy exhaust note and stiff suspension of an Infiniti G37/Q60. There isn't a mid-size coupe on the market right now that is geared toward refinement and luxury, unless you pay $60k for an E-class coupe. I think a $35,000 Riviera hits a sweet spot for those that want something nicer than the CamCord segment, but don't want a crossover or a big car like an Avalon, Cadenza or Impala.

I have never been a BMW fan, their styling never really did anything for me, but I do respect the E39, the V10 M5, the E46 M3, the F30 3-series and inline sixes. I can respect their products, but I would never buy one, they aren't my cup of tea. That being said, I have to defend them here. In 2015, 58% of Porsche sales were SUVs. This was once a sports car brand that is on its way to having 2/3rds of it sales trucks. BMW still has 70% of its sales volume from cars. That is huge percentage, as all the non-germane luxury brands are under 50%. As far as the X5 goes, it is a rear drive platform, you can get a 450 hp V8 or 580 hp V8, or whatever the M has. The Acura, Lincoln, Lexus crossovers and the SRX are front drive products, basically family sedans on stilts with a V6 out of a Cam-Cord. They are garden variety stuff. I am not sure what is "mojo induced" about any Lexus or Acura SUV, but BMW is making an X7 SUV with optional 600 hp V12 power. Will a 600 hp V12 be enough mojo for the suv segment? The only reason BMW's CUV percentage isn't higher is because it is up against the five or six variations of EACH car model (3,4,5,6,7 series have more variations than you can shake a stick at) so those percentages you are touting are way misleading. Finally, the X5 was BMWs best seller last month and was second in yearly sales to only the multi-variant 3 series. What do you think is going to happen to that CUV percentage when the X7 comes out? So before the argument was made that BMW sells too many SUVs and that was bad. Bad for image to sell SUVs as a luxury brand. Then as it turns out they sell 70% cars and only 30% SUVs (the most car heavy luxury brand there is). Yet that is still bad because the X5, a high margin vehicle outsells a 3-series which is a bottom level vehicle. However at Mercedes the C-class, a sedan outsells the GLE, but that is also bad because the C-class costs less than the GLE. Then it seems that many more people want an Escalade over a BMW, yet BMW doesn't offer a full size SUV. So until the X7 is on sale we don't really know. And the X5 outsells the Escalade, because as was established the X5 is the #1 selling BMW for 1 month. Maybe the X7 will sell well, maybe it is too late to the game. Personally I think the X7 will gain some traction in the market place, and that segment isn't really growing so it will more than likely steal from established players.

What about a Ford Taurus X (I think Freestyle before that). I haven't looked what they cost, but they have to be cheap. Chevy Uplander/Saturn Relay are cheap with cargo space. Chrysler Pacificas are cheap.

An ESCALADE is UNTOUCHABLE in the realm of cachet, and NO AMOUNT OF BMW X6M HORSEPOWER comes close to that Cadillac in cachet... Like I said... Porsche, M-B, Cadillac, Bentley, Rolls Royce, Land Rover, Jaguar and others HAVE A SAY HOW SUVs WILL be MARKETED... And the X6M will BE LOST in that whirlwind of SUV madness... BMW was the one to DICTATE what is a LUXURY SPORT SEDAN...but with SUVs...BMW is NO WHERE NEAR the BENCH MARK!!! You realize the X6M is like the size of a Cadillac XT5 or Lexus RX right? It is not a full size vehicle, but as I just posted there is a full size X7 SUV coming. And who ever said BMW was a benchmark of SUVs? SUVs are 30% of BMW sales. What is sort of scary is if their car sales stay the same, but SUV sales rise, they could be at 400,000 units a year in the near future. I don't know that the Escalade is so "untouchable". It has cache, but it built a lot of that in the early to mid 2000s when there were few competitors. Aside from the GL, and there could be a Maybach GL, you now have Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Lamborghini getting into SUVs. Those are heavyweight names. Land Rover is coming back pretty strong. And the Escalade is sill built on a Chevy truck frame. I think in the 2020s the Escalade will have to adapt and evolve as more and more better handling, more luxurious and more fuel efficient large SUVs hit the market.

I have never been a BMW fan, their styling never really did anything for me, but I do respect the E39, the V10 M5, the E46 M3, the F30 3-series and inline sixes. I can respect their products, but I would never buy one, they aren't my cup of tea. That being said, I have to defend them here. In 2015, 58% of Porsche sales were SUVs. This was once a sports car brand that is on its way to having 2/3rds of it sales trucks. BMW still has 70% of its sales volume from cars. That is huge percentage, as all the non-germane luxury brands are under 50%. As far as the X5 goes, it is a rear drive platform, you can get a 450 hp V8 or 580 hp V8, or whatever the M has. The Acura, Lincoln, Lexus crossovers and the SRX are front drive products, basically family sedans on stilts with a V6 out of a Cam-Cord. They are garden variety stuff. I am not sure what is "mojo induced" about any Lexus or Acura SUV, but BMW is making an X7 SUV with optional 600 hp V12 power. Will a 600 hp V12 be enough mojo for the suv segment?

First off no Lexus or Cadillac SUV is on par with an X6M. That is a near 600 hp crossover. But let's look at some facts of percentage of car vs SUV sales among luxury brands. I also took the X1 out of cars total and put it into SUV, because BMW counts it as a car, but I don't think it is, which actually lowers BMW's car %. Acura 38.3% car 61.7% suv Audi 58.3% car 41.7% suv BMW 70.0% car 30.0% suv Cadillac 40.2% car 58.8% suv Infiniti 48.6% car 51.4% suv Lexus 49.7% car 50.3% suv Lincoln 37.3% car 62.7% suv Mercedes 59.8% car 40.2% suv So BMW is actually the most car heavy luxury brand, they have a long way to go to becoming an SUV brand. Unlike Lincoln, Acura and Cadillac that are already SUV brands.

Again, that near bottom feeder C class was MBs best seller (of which there are FIVE variations of per MBs website) while you try to say that MB makes more sells off of their mid range luxury cars. Hmmmmm...lie much? The Encore is Buick's #1 seller and their second cheapest product. The SRX is Cadillac's #1 seller and their 2nd cheapest product. The Escape is the #1 selling ford after F-series, and the Escape is near the bottom. Lots of brands have their best sellers as the lower end of their line up. And I said 2 of the top 3 selling lines are middle level at Mercedes. C-class, E-class, GLE-class are their top 3 selling lines. There have been years when the E-class was their #1 seller. Perhaps the new one will catch fire and regain the title. CLA + CLA 55,236 C-class + GLK/GLC = 113,982 E-class + ML/GLE = 102,949 (add CLS which has defect replaced the E550 sedan and it is 109,101 units) S-class + GL = 49,641 The top and bottom are pretty close, if you add the SL and G-wagen to the top group they would outsell the A range. ( and those cars don't share platforms, I just lumped together by price point)